1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of food preparation. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus and method for maintaining food in a ready to use condition in which previously cooked food portions are contained in trays stored within a food warming apparatus divided into sub-compartments with a removable divider.
2. Description of Related Art
In many establishments, such as fast food restaurants, certain food items are cooked well in advance of when they are ordered by or served to the customer. Examples of such food items can include sandwich fillings, such as cooked eggs, hamburger patties, breaded foods, such as chicken nuggets, or balked goods, such as muffins. These previously cooked food portions are often maintained in a ready-to-use condition until they served to the customer. This typically involves maintaining the previously cooked food portions at a serving temperature in the range of from about 140° F. to about 200° F., depending on the food item.
Various food warming apparatus have been developed to maintain previously cooked food portions at a desired serving temperature. Such food warming apparatus are sometimes referred to as staging cabinets, holding cabinets, or warming cabinets. Some of the challenges involved in designing a food warming apparatus involve increasing the safety of the apparatus and reducing spillage while maintaining a speedy workflow within the restaurant. The challenge can be particularly great when trays of different sizes (e.g. heights and/or widths) are used to hold previously cooked food portions.
One commonly used way to protect previously cooked food items for which drying out is a concern, is to place the food items in a container, such as a tray, and to provide a cover for the container. The cover restricts evaporation of moisture from the previously cooked food items. With a reduced amount of moisture vapor being able to escape from the covered container, the previously cooked food items contained therein do not dry out as rapidly.
Conventional covers are inconvenient to use in food fast restaurants and similar establishments. This is because when previously cooked food portions are taken from the food warming apparatus, the cover typically must be removed from the tray to gain access to the food items contained therein, and must be replaced to protect the remaining food portions contained in the tray. The steps of removing and replacing a cover can take an amount of time that is unacceptably large in fast food restaurants. The removed cover can also become misplaced or contaminated and can get in the way of other activities in the kitchen area.